“MA” isn’t your conventional horror story. It’s freakishly familiar. The way in which Mona’s mother affects her psyche is bone chilling. Mona drew me in from the start. I understood her. As a parent of an LGBTQ child, I sympathized with her. I got that their mother-daughter bond felt more like bondage, but good God … I wasn’t ready.
Major kudos to Stage13 for giving Miao the platform to present this extraordinary work. Everything from the cinematography to the set was impressive. However, those things are nothing without the cast. Casting Wei-Yi Lin (Mona), Ayesha Harris (Erica) and Mardy Ma (Ma) was exceptionally appealing because they are a true representation of the world around me. Wei-Yi Lin exuded a thinly veiled sadness, which perfectly set the tone. Coupling her with Ayesha Harris sparked instant chemistry. Mardy Ma was the right element to burst it all into flames. These three together proved to be a fantastic combination for this story. I hope I get to see them more in the future. As for “Two Sentence Horror Stories,” I am now happily addicted and can’t wait for the next episode.
